Gator Humanely Put to Sleep in Texas!

[matthewaynelson]

A 10-foot Gator was put to sleep by means of a bullet from a game wardens pistol in Ft. Worth on the evening of June 16. Yikes! A 10-footer in the DFW metroplex! Been in Florida for two years and I've not seen a gator yet! This just proves the old addage is true... Everything's BIGGER in TEXAS! :)




It's a Gator, Not a Speed Bump
By JANE GEELAN-SAYRES (Updated 4:45 PM CDT, Tue, Jun 16, 2009)

If last week's storms didn't freak you out, this might just do the trick.

An unwanted visitor made an appearance in an East Fort Worth neighborhood on Saturday. A 10-foot alligator was discovered at Trinity Boulevard and Bell Spur.

Capt. Neil Bieler, a game warden, told KRLD-AM, the gator had been hit by a vehicle after ending up on the roadway.

The gator had to be put to sleep.

According to KRLD, Bieler also said gators are more active in the rainy, spring season. And a gator call is not unusual for the game warden.

[FN1910]

A 10-foot gator isn't a BIG one at all. We used to have one living in our fish pond behind our house that was about 14-feet. She finally died of old age. 10 feet is about average for an adult. If you have been in Fl for two years and haven't seen one then you aren't looking hard. Come on up to SC and I can show you plenty. We even have a Gator season now but you have to pay to even get in the drawing for permits and then it is so much red tape if you kill one. Can't shoot them until you have them tied up to the boat and then humanely put them down.

[matthewaynelson]

You have to realize though, for DFW—a gator PERIOD is a pretty odd occurrence! At least over the 15 years while I was living there, I never heard of a big gator (or really, any gator) like that one! According to the game warden though, gator calls are not uncommon! Again… YIKES!!

I'm on the Gulf Coast (Anna Maria Island)... I see more dolphins, sharks and Manatee than I do anything else! :)

I'm sure if I ventured off more towards the interior, I'd increase my chances of seeing some gators! Not sure of the validity, but I was told there are places here in Florida where you can hunt both gator and hog on public lands. ?? One of these days I'll look in to that and maybe go do some Florida style hunting!! :)

[ronwill]

We see 10 foot gators here in Georgia quite regularly. It may be a little odd in a large metropolitan area like Dallas/ Fort Worth though. But then they catch 20 foot pythons in Florida regularly and it's getting to be a more common occurrence.

[Wolfling68]

I live in S FL, if you haven't seen a gator, you either aren't looking or do not know how to spot them. I was on a tour with about 25 Europeans, I spotted several gators, even when I pointed them out, the toursist couldn't see them....I don't even think they are that hard to spot, but I guess our brains can't see what we don't know how to see.......

[ricbak]

Gators, Hum, Don't see many here in Michigan 'cept in the fall when the Bulldogs tear 'em up...